RECIPES TO TRY THIS MONTH 



MUSSELS WITH NETTLE, WILD GARLIC AND LEEK

1kg fresh mussels

115g butter

1 shallot finely chopped

2 leeks finely chopped

200ml dry white wine

1 bay leaf

A handful of wild garlic

A handful of nettles

Single cream to taste

Scrub mussels with a stiff brush under cold running water and remove beards.

Heat 50g of the butter in a very large saucepan. When hot and foaming add the leek, shallot and bay leaf. Cook over a medium heat until the leeks and shallot are softened. Add the wine and bring the mixture to the boil. Add the mussels, cover the saucepan, cook over a high heat for a few minutes until the mussels open.

Discard any mussels that don’t open after cooking. Strain the mussels and set aside, keeping warm. Return the mussel liquor to the pan and return to the heat. Add the wild garlic, nettles and butter and bring to the boil. Take off the heat, add cream and pour liquor over mussels.


BLOOD ORANGE AND POMEGRANATE MARTINI

25ml blood orange juice

25ml pomegranate juice

50ml gin

15ml grenadine

Lime zest

Shake the ingredients with cracked ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a chilled martini glass and add a lime zest twist.

 

MARCH NEWS

An influx of requests for summer wedding menus is getting us excited for the coming months and the new ingredients we’ll have to play with. While we’re eagerly awaiting the English asparagus, tomato and berry seasons, we’ll be finishing off testing for our spring and summer dishes which will be launched next month.

Alongside our culinary adventures in the name of recipe development, we’re being kept very busy by the Proud galleries, Chelsea where canapé events have ranged from political soirees, to fashion bashes and art happenings. The Old Vic has also had a number of fabulous events to anticipate the opening of Cause Célèbre in mid- March.

FLIPPING BRILLIANT

What we think of as pancakes are really a type of flatbread and have been traced back to ancient times. They are prevalent all over Europe in many guises and feature in almost every cuisine from that of the Americas to the Indian sub-continent. In England alone, we have a number of hotly contested local delicacies that are pancakes by any other name, from drop scones to Staffordshire oatcakes; even the beloved Yorkshire pudding is actually a kind of pancake.

Their exotic cousins from the East however take a savoury stance at the table: lacy dosas with potato masala and nigella seed, rice pancakes with spring onion and duck, and luxurious buckwheat blinis with caviar and sour cream. The Europeans bring gauffres with smoked ham and cheese, ricotta and spinach stuffed crespelle and the classics like crepes Suzette and clafoutis.

The ingredients are kitchen perennials and it takes only minutes to whip up a good batter. Just remember the three golden rules; 1, let the batter rest in the fridge for around 20 minutes; 2, the first one out of the pan is never pretty, so don’t despair; and 3, they must be served hot straight from the pan.

There’s no reason to deviate from the classic Pancake Day offering with lemon juice and lashings of caster sugar, but if you feel inspired may we suggest you make some beetroot buckwheat blinis to serve with smoked salmon and horseradish cream. For something more rustic try socca - a Nicoise specialty made with chickpea flour and a hint of cumin. Serve it warm in wedges with olive tapenade. If pancakes will always be pudding for you, make a stack of moist ricotta and lemon zest pancakes and serve with slices of fresh ripe pear.


ClonakiltyPRODUCT OF THE MONTH

The Clonakilty Blackpudding is deservedly famous in its native Ireland for its unique crumbly texture and fine, spiced flavour. Its history dates back to the 1880s when it was created by a local woman, and subsequent huge demand led to it being produced by Harrington’s the butcher. The original Harrington’s recipe is a closely guarded secret with the precise spice blends known only to Colette Twomey, and the production methods are the same today as they were in the 19th century. In Ireland it’s considered an essential breakfast item but lately it has been adopted by some of the best chefs in the world who use it in more creative dishes. For an evening in honour of St Patrick, fry the black pudding with some succulent scallops and serve with buttery colcannon and a glass of Black Velvet.